The present invention relates generally to a support mechanism for a hood which covers a vehicle engine and other components of a vehicle, such as an agricultural or industrial vehicle. Agricultural tractors in particular have very tight width constraints at the rear of the hood for visibility. It is a known practice to use gas springs to support the hood of a vehicle, such as an agricultural tractor. Such vehicle hoods are long and heavy and require a significant amount of force to balance the hood. While gas springs allow for a compact design along the inside of the hood, they are prone to failure as they wear out or lose their gas charge, and their force is variable as the temperature varies. Further, the use of gas springs on each side of the hood does not provide stiffness against torsion imparted to the hood from wind or sideways pull from closing the hood while standing beside it. Some known hood supports also require a catch or a separate prop rod to hold a hood in a raised position. Accordingly, there is a clear need in the art for a hood support mechanism which avoids the use of gas springs, which does not require a catch or a prop rod and which provides significant clearance under the hood.